AMBASSADOR/ BULAWAYO CONSUL- PHILANI AMADEUS NYONI-( is a Zimbabwean born wordsmith. He has written award-winning poetry for the page, the stage and the screen. He has also written articles and short stories for various publications, local and international

Mast of sovereignty, Stand ye strong oh slither of carvens! Who marched twixt earth and marsh so dainty, And salty mine with trench of violet. Crevice of garnet, smoothened In the trembling of foe at the point of bayonet! The flame-kempt grass yet know you wage, Desert the edge you wedge in rage. Over the dales, ringer of knells, Trembling thunder, Thor's white surge: Slay Theokoles, Bringer of Rain! The poised Achilla, dog to heel, Goard the gourd, ye god of Cain. Lion of heart who knows no shield Sworn to never yield, Not for the second coming Nor cloud's soft rumbling.

MY MUSE AND MY PRESIDENT

My muse is a rebel who can cock a gun, My president is a barman serving cock-and-run. Alliteration of staccato, bodies drop she loves it, While the barman’s expertise makes one move feet. She loves the deadly ejaculation; bang bang! He conveniently took care of the last bird that sang… She is an assassin who kills impotent bloody thirsts’ with a silver bullet. Barman grins, ‘Wanna play roulette?’ Her soft touch on hard pipe is beyond surreal, While his liquor is hard enough to kill. Her hands are adroit with the keeper of life and death, While his punch knocks like nothing on earth. Slide back slide forward, that is a cock, Today he is serving it on the rocks, no Coke. Slide back slide forward, locked and loaded ready to shoot, He takes sour grapes ferments them in cells into brutal fruit. She aims the gun at herself, quick blow and drops splat, He reads this, cocks, I run… not fast enough, my head blows apart…

CAVALIER THE BLACK (On Oliver Mutukudzi)

Cobble conceived of clods: Dust-cloud gauze-clogged Norton roads Like Chingono spending dynamite Small package of fevered fervour erupting minds In cause of gods if song Was yet condoned in damnation Of Lucifer. Enchanter Ache of crooning booming on husky edge Walking soul of poesy Ballerina lithe on six-tight ropes hops To entrance, elopes with beer holder Contorted, bound in chords, Notes, cranking chants and nods of ecstasy. Neria, Neria, it's treachery! Yet let not your spirit rot With Death swole proud. What's given's culled To Zion and scion, or wind and dune, But not the tunes.